Bellingham funeral home under investigation for allegedly improperly storing bodies

BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – The state licensing office and Whatcom County are investigating a Bellingham funeral home due to complaints about improper storage of human remains.

Moles Farewell Tributes and Crematory Center is accused of storing unrefrigerated remains on behalf of the Whatcom County Coroner. The coroner’s office has been using Moles’ facility since July 2023 to store bodies and perform autopsies while the county’s facilities are renovated.

Christine Anthony, a spokeswoman for the licensing board, told MBN that other funeral homes have complained of seeing six to seven unrefrigerated deceased in the garage of Moles Bayview Chapel on Lakeway Dr. This violates Washington state law that requires funeral homes to refrigerate or embalm human remains upon receipt.

The state’s formal investigation began on May 17 after the second complaint was received.

Whatcom County spokesman Jed Holmes said the county is currently investigating the complaints but will not comment on the situation until the investigation is complete.

John Moles, president of the Moles, said in a statement that the reports were “extremely incomplete” and that the responsibility rests with the Medical Examiner’s Office. He claims the Medical Examiner’s Office told him on May 10 that they had made arrangements to properly handle the bodies but failed to follow through.

Moles stated that his funeral home could not transport the remains without a request from the coroner, which he said never happened.